This invention relates to a universal mass storage information card having two separate data storage portions with one data storage portion being physically detachable from the other and to a drive assembly to enable data to be read from and transferred to one of the detachable data storage portions of the mass storage information card when separated from the other data storage portion.
Present day commercially available credit cards are essentially all standardized in rectangular configuration and physical dimension and utilize a magnetic strip for transferring code information to an authorization center. The magnetic strip extends along one edge of the credit card on one side thereof and is used to authenticate a credit card transaction. The magnetic strip contains code information which is transferred to a credit card authorization center when swiped in a magnetic card reader. The code information identifies a given account and permits the credit card authorization center to validate the transaction after verifying the available credit of the card owner. This is done based on the assumption that the owner of the card as identified by the code information is using the card. The code information on the magnetic strip is transferred through the card reader via a telephone modem to the credit card authorization center representing, e.g., a bank or other financial institution for authorization or disapproval of the transaction. Although the use of the standard type credit card has become commonplace the magnetic strip is extremely limited in data storage capacity and, as a practical matter, is limited to the storage of an account number. This limitation of the standard type credit card prevents the issuer from storing information on the card which may prevent fraudulent credit card transactions based upon false identity and/or unauthorized use. Moreover, the standard type credit card offers almost no control to the owner of the card to prevent unauthorized use of the card or the card number. In fact, the only recourse available to the owner of the card is to contact the card issuer to deactivate the credit card and invariably only after a fraudulent transaction has occurred. Moreover, at present, every credit card institution i.e., bank, finance and/or credit company must issue a separate credit card for each separate account even to the same credit card holder. This requires a card holder to carry multiple cards in his or her possession to facilitate different retail or credit transactions under the different account numbers which is both cumbersome and undesirable.
xe2x80x9cSmart cardsxe2x80x9d have been proposed to increase the storage capacity of the standard credit card using one or more integrated circuits incorporated into the card. However the architecture of a conventional data processing machine or personal computer does not permit a smart card having one or more built-in integrated circuits to interface therewith without substantial modification. However, reading and writing to a smart card which utilizes built-in integrated circuitry is not structurally compatible for use with conventional computer storage devices, i.e., floppy disks or hard drives and is certainly incompatible for use with conventional magnetic credit card swipe units both structurally and electronically. Accordingly, to coordinate and interface the use of a smart card having a built-in integrated chip with a data processing machine such as a personal computer would require complex and expensive accessory devices and possibly also require the adoption of a new standardized configuration for the card other than a rectangular configuration. For this reason smart cards which utilize one or more built-in integrated circuits have not, as yet, been commercialized to any significant extent.
The mass storage information card of the present invention is a xe2x80x9csmart cardxe2x80x9d which does not require any built-in integrated circuitry and can interact with a conventional disk or cassette drive already existing in personal computers or in other conventional data processing machines without structural or architectural modification. In addition, the mass storage information card of the present invention has a data storage capability of over several hundred megabytes of digital information and can be programmed and reprogrammed at will and with the content and type of data storage information to be transferred to a third party under the control of the card holder. Moreover, the mass storage information card of the present invention may function as a universal xe2x80x9conexe2x80x9d card in the sense that it can represent a multiplicity of different institutions both for credit transactions and for record purposes, i.e., the same card may be used on behalf of all credit card institutions simultaneously as well as representing in a single card a reservoir of record information for various other purposes such as medical and dental records, license records and multiple other information records.
It is because the storage capacity of the mass storage information card of the present invention is almost limitless that the card can be used to carry personal information other than credit information to enable the same card to be used not only as a credit card but also as a prescription card for drugs, an insurance card, library card, drivers license medical card etc., i.e., as a universal information card. For example, all medical records can be stored on the card including x-rays, photos and charts. Instead of a medical doctor writing a prescription on a slip of paper which may be misread the prescription can be written to the card. A druggist can then read the prescription from the card using his data processing machine and fill the prescription which will then be recorded on the card. Because the card contains all of the medical information for the card owner a pharmacist or doctor can spot conflicting medications that have been prescribed by another pharmacist or doctor respectively. More importantly no unauthorized modifications to the prescription can be made. In fact no modifications or alterations of any of the record information can be made except by the card owner and then only when both data storage portions of the card are used together as will be further explained hereafter thereby making it impossible for anyone to engage in fraudulent or unlawful activity.
The mass storage information card of the present invention has a unique physical structure comprising two independent data storage portions with one data storage portion being physically detachable from the other. When the two data storage portions are physically separated, a given one of the two data storage portions is designed for use independent of the other for handling credit and other transactions in a manner equivalent to the use of a conventional credit card and can also be used for obtaining other types of record information. However, neither of the two data storage portions can be modified or its encrypted information accessed without the combined use of both. The two independent data storage portions include a first portion of circular configuration preferably equal in diameter to that of a standard compact disk as conventionally used in a personal computer and a second portion detachable from the first portion with the second portion defining a concentric area of reduced dimension within the periphery of the first portion. The second portion is preferably of a rectangular configuration. When the two independent data storage portions are united a single mass storage information card is formed which defines a basic compact disc system having mass storage capability. With both portions intact information may be read from the card and information may be written to the card in a conventional fashion using the conventional disk or cassette drive as already exists in personal computers or in other conventional data processing machines without structural or architectural modification.
Both portions of the card are separably capable of storing large amounts of information. The detachable portion of the card is preferably physically dimensioned to match the dimensions of a standard rectangular magnetic credit card and preferably contains software inclusive of a file allocation table i.e., a table of contents for the card. The detachable portion of the card, hereafter referred to as the rectangular portion, is intended to be used separate and independent of the outer circular portion for handling credit card transactions as well as to store all transactional information when the card is used as a credit medium and as a storage medium for the storage of various types of record information of the card user.
The circular portion of the card, hereafter referred to as the xe2x80x9csecurity ringxe2x80x9d, contains software programs to perform installation and set up functions, encryption algorithms for encrypting data stored in the rectangular portion and software to enable the user to program user restrictions in the detachable portion of the card. In addition the security ring verifies user identification and verifies the presence of the specific rectangular portion to which it is married by software verification.
The invention also includes a separate drive assembly for use in connection with the rectangular portion of the card when it is used independent of the security ring. The separate drive assembly of the present invention enables a user to read data from the rectangular storage portion of the mass storage information card independent of the security ring. The rectangular portion of the card can be read from either a conventional data processing machine such as a personal computer, a commercially available cash register or from a conventional magnetic card reader. When the rectangular portion of the card is to be used with a data processing machine such as a personal computer and/or a commercially available cash register the drive assembly of the present invention permits information to be written to the rectangular portion of the card as well as to read data stored therein.